Title: Hand of Death Year: 1976 Runtime: 1 hour 24 minutes (84:39) Director: John Woo Starring: Doran Tan, James Tien, Jackie Chan, Sammo Hung Studio: Golden Harvest Country: Hong Kong Language: Cantonese (original), dubbed in multiple languages Format: Color, Mono Sound Genres: Martial Arts, Action, Historical, Wuxia, Revenge Synopsis: In 17th-century China, a deadly martial arts master named Shih Shao-Feng seeks to eliminate all Shaolin disciples. A lone survivor of one such massacre sets out to find allies and destroy the villainous warlord. The film follows his journey to gather warriors of differing skills, including an acrobatic wanderer (Jackie Chan), a brooding swordsman (James Tien), and a tough monk (Sammo Hung). Together, they attempt to stop the tyrant before his ruthless army grows too powerful. Trivia: One of director John Woo’s earliest films, foreshadowing his later flair for stylized action. Jackie Chan and Sammo Hung were not yet stars but had significant fight choreography roles. Sammo Hung served as stunt coordinator and appears as a villain. The film is noted for its elaborate group fights, showcasing early examples of the teamwork-action style Woo would perfect later. The cut you own (84 minutes) omits several slower dialogue scenes and minor character intros included in longer versions. Reissued many times across DVD and VHS under alternative titles like Countdown in Kung Fu and Strike of Death. Hashtags: #HandOfDeath #JohnWoo #JackieChan #SammoHung #JamesTien #GoldenHarvest #KungFuCinema #MartialArtsClassic #HongKongAction #WuxiaFilm #VintageKungFu #70sCinema #RevengeFlick #KungFuLegends #ShaolinSaga